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Sydney Opal Card - $13.40 Airport Gate Fee?

21 replies
kevrosmith

kevrosmith

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kevrosmith

Member since 20 Jul 2011

Total posts 1

Let's be clear on some facts here:

* Four stations are owned and controlled by Airport Link Company Pty Ltd: International, Domestic, Mascot and Green Square
* Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd has no ownership/interest or influence on Airport Link, nor on the Gate Access fee, nor does it receive any revenue from the Gate Access fee
* The Opal cap on the Gate Access fee is currently $27 per week, but that's still an extra $1,404 p.a. that staff have to pay to use the train to get to work, and as numerous government reports have identified, this has a huge impact on airport workers' income.
* Since July 2014, the NSW Government has been entitled to 85% of the sales revenue of Airport Link Company, so one could say it's in their own interest to continue the Access Fee for general revenue.
* (I think it was in 2011) The NSW Government negotiated with Airport Link Company to remove the Gate Access fee at Mascot and Green Square stations. The NSW Government had to make quite a substantial payment to ALC, and I'm not certain whether these payments are ongoing or whether it was a once off.
* (Not confirmed as a fact) but I believe there are contractual restrictions for the provision of direct Public Bus services between the Airport and City, which is why service 400 only goes to Bondi Junction.

markpk

markpk

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markpk

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 29 Nov 2013

Total posts 459

Well, that didn't work, the operator and its bankers took a bath and its now back in NSW State Govt hands - the gate fees at Green Square and Mascot have been abolished but DOM and INTL remain. 

All those stations are still owned by the private operator, but the NSW government receives a proportion of the station access fees under the contract they have with Airport Link, and they agreed to abolish the fee on Green Square/Mascot.

Noted. My bad not following up on what I thought was the situation...
japanair772

japanair772

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japanair772

Japan Airlines - JAL Mileage Bank

Member since 09 May 2017

Total posts 2

Then should you get off at the next stop and walk to the Airport?

CityRail

CityRail

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CityRail

Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer

Member since 17 Nov 2014

Total posts 78

There's a way that you can go to the airport without actually paying the gate fee (or at least as much as the gate fee):

Buy a new Opal Card and top up at $10, then use it for 2 trips until the balance reaches around $3-$4. Then go to the airport. You will discover that your card will come with a negative balance, that simply prevents you to tap on again until you top up to a positive balance. At this point, just throw the card away (Remember that the card is free), then essentially you only paid $3-$4 to the airport, and it is legal.

akronflyer

akronflyer

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akronflyer

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 29 Jul 2014

Total posts 145

You might like to consider another option  depending on where you are starting your Journey in Sydney
The 400 Bus runs from Burwood to Bondi Junction via the Airport
Another possible option is to get the Airport Train to Mascot Station and then walk to Coward Street Mascot
and then catch the 400 Bus from there to the Airport from Stand B I think it is
Phone 131500 or check out the Tripview App to check first
We sometimes get the Bus to the Mascot Shops and  enjoy a meal at one of the many Restaurants there and then catch the 400 bus to the Airport

Lps988

Lps988

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Lps988

Member since 20 Jan 2017

Total posts 33

My issue is that the traffic to get into either airport is usually horrendous and I'd have to think partly becasue of such a high price for access via the train. Wouldnt it make sense to drop the price and encourage more travellers to opt for public transport, rather than cloggging the arteries around the airport?

Dont get me wrong I've used the train a number of times and find it extremely convenient especially if coming from the city on a Friday afternoon, but I think a review of the current $ may be worthwhile to get greater volume through the gates.

ads086

ads086

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ads086

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 14 Apr 2014

Total posts 46

I find it rather interesting that in Sydney and Brisbane where trains run to the Airport that a higher access fee is charged. If you look at overseas airports, Heathrow is simply end of the line for the Picadilly line so it's a regular tube stop, Changi is only $2 or $3 for the train to the city, and I think we got the slow train from Narita to Tokyo for around 400Y or so.

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